N.C. HAS 8TH LOWEST AUTO RATES IN U.S.:

November 22, 2004

A National Association of Insurance Commissioners report comparing auto insurance rates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia found that North Carolina ranks eighth in the nation for the lowest rates. This is an improvement over the ninth-lowest ranking previously held by the state. Insurance Commissioner Jim Long, who sets rates for drivers, was pleased, but not surprised with the distinction. The NAIC report, The Auto Insurance Database Report, compares average expenditures and annual premiums for auto insurance in 50 states and the District of Columbia. The top 10 states with the lowest auto insurance rates are: 1. North Dakota*, 2. South Dakota*, 3. Iowa*, 4. Idaho*, 5. Wyoming*, 6. Maine*, 7. Kansas, 8. North Carolina, 9. Nebraska, and 10. Wisconsin (states with an asterisk had no change in ranking). Generally, states with fewer people per square mile of land area are considered cheaper places to insure a vehicle because fewer accidents typically occur.